Nitrite Question

[David Burton]

All,

Okay, Nitrites should ideally be 0.0 mg/l but at what stage do they start
becoming a problem or possibly fatal to fish and corals in the tank alike?

I would be very grateful for some kind of reply as I am getting alot of
conflicting points of view on the subject.

Thanks,
David

[F.D.S.]

An established tank should have 0 nitrites. If nitrites are not at 0, then
the tank has not completely cycled. Nitrites in my humble opinion are a
problem no matter what, as long as it shows on a test. All this of course is
just my way of thinking.
Fernan
"David Burton" > wrote in message
. uk...
> All,
>
> Okay, Nitrites should ideally be 0.0 mg/l but at what stage do they start
> becoming a problem or possibly fatal to fish and corals in the tank alike?
>
> I would be very grateful for some kind of reply as I am getting alot of
> conflicting points of view on the subject.
>
> Thanks,
> David
>
>

[erik]

Not sure, but based on your story I think you mis-read Nitr-I-ite for
Nitr-A-te.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 15:44:26 -0400, kryppy <kryppy@.> wrote:

>On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 21:36:13 GMT, "David Burton"
> wrote:
>
>>All,
>>
>>Okay, Nitrites should ideally be 0.0 mg/l but at what stage do they start
>>becoming a problem or possibly fatal to fish and corals in the tank alike?
>>
>>I would be very grateful for some kind of reply as I am getting alot of
>>conflicting points of view on the subject.
>
>
>I have a 120g tank with a large grouper, a few varieties of coral,
>xenias, a yellow gorgonian.and two killer mushrooms that eat anything.
>3 emerald crabs, 5 blue legged hermits about 4 varieties of snails
>totaling about 40. 3 common steamer clams, 3 flame scallops and pink
>gulf shrimp that come and go. Usually 4 in there.
>Let me not forget the largish horseshoe crab in a section of the fuge
>which has all sorts of things going on. 95% of the tank consists of
>things from the Florida waters.
>
>Anyway, the moral of my story is the nitrates have been 200+ for years
>with no ill effects on anything in there. Great growth on everything.
>0 nitride, 0 ammonia 8.2 PH 1.025 -6 SG 1400 MG. That is all I test
>for.
>
>I recently (over the last six months) added a series of 5 gallon
>buckets with 2 - 3 foot mangroves, 15 smaller ones, grape calarpa and
>the famous chetomorphia. I threw a few halimadias in the tank.
>
>
>They have dropped to 60 - 80 now. I kinda hope they continue down, but
>I don't think so. They seemed to stabilize there.. Just this morning I
>noticed a small weird looking coral on the halimada!! It now has its
>polyps out. Very cool.
>
>I'll tell you what, I believe the high nitrates are causing the
>mangroves and cheeto to grow like mad. I suspect you could have
>problems with algae if you didn't have sufficient creatures to consume
>it, but by in large I wouldn't freak out if they are 5 - 10!!! Hahaha
>

[CapFusion]

"kryppy" <kryppy@.> wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 28 Aug 2004 21:36:13 GMT, "David Burton"
> > wrote:
>
>
> I have a 120g tank with a large grouper, a few varieties of coral,
> xenias, a yellow gorgonian.and two killer mushrooms that eat anything.
> 3 emerald crabs, 5 blue legged hermits about 4 varieties of snails
> totaling about 40. 3 common steamer clams, 3 flame scallops and pink
> gulf shrimp that come and go. Usually 4 in there.
> Let me not forget the largish horseshoe crab in a section of the fuge
> which has all sorts of things going on. 95% of the tank consists of
> things from the Florida waters.
>
> Anyway, the moral of my story is the nitrates have been 200+ for years
> with no ill effects on anything in there. Great growth on everything.
> 0 nitride, 0 ammonia 8.2 PH 1.025 -6 SG 1400 MG. That is all I test
> for.
>
> I recently (over the last six months) added a series of 5 gallon
> buckets with 2 - 3 foot mangroves, 15 smaller ones, grape calarpa and
> the famous chetomorphia. I threw a few halimadias in the tank.
>
>
> They have dropped to 60 - 80 now. I kinda hope they continue down, but
> I don't think so. They seemed to stabilize there.. Just this morning I
> noticed a small weird looking coral on the halimada!! It now has its
> polyps out. Very cool.

Your plants are consuming those nitrate. You have an good natural eco-system
here.

CapFusion,...

[CapFusion]

"David Burton" > wrote in message
. uk...
> All,
>
> Okay, Nitrites should ideally be 0.0 mg/l but at what stage do they start
> becoming a problem or possibly fatal to fish and corals in the tank alike?
>
> I would be very grateful for some kind of reply as I am getting alot of
> conflicting points of view on the subject.
>

When nitrite become detectable and rising, it will become fatal.

CapFusion,...